Slavery In The Cape
In 1652, the Dutch had settled in the Cape. The Dutch owned large farms and there was a scarcity of labour, but wanted the physical labour done for them. The VOC, who were the Dutch settlers, did not want to spend their cash on high-cost wages that European workers ordered. The Dutch could not use the Khoi Khoi who were the nomadic herdsmen of the Cape as slaves, as they were already exchanging fresh meat for their cattle. {South African History Online, 2000}. The Dutch were already involved in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade which took place over the Atlantic Ocean in the 16th – 19th century.
Through this slave trade, they imported slaves at the cheapest cost. Slaves were brought in the 1600’s - 1800’s and the first set of slaves came from Angola in 1658. Most slaves came from around the Indian Ocean off the East coast of Africa such as Mozambique,
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A group of men got together such as the leader Louis from Mauritius, two Irishmen, James Hooper and Michael Kelly, Jeptha from Batavia, Abraham van de Caap and Adonis, Indian slave and two Khoi men. This group of men in 1808 marched for the freedom of all slaves. They gathered 320 slaves on their march and soon a revolt broke out in Salt River and the men got tortured or executed. {South African History Online, 2000}. Some slaves showed resistance in running away, but if they were caught they were tied against a pole and were wiped. Different slaves got different punishments such as cut of the ears or nose or they were either branded on the check or chest. The other slaves watched this as a warning of what might happen if they try this resistance. Other forms of resistance was sabotage, arson, robbery, violent attacks, murder or even in some cases slaves committed suicide and their body was dragged around the Cape for everybody to see.{Iziko Slave lodge, no